Book Description:
From New York Times bestselling author Jessica Park comes the long-anticipated sequel to Left Drowning.
A storm is coming, and with storms come restless waters.
Pulled from the depths of catastrophe and depression, Blythe McGuire has learned to escape from her past while embracing the future. A future now entwined with the Shepherd siblings.
With Chris, she shares a staggering romance that kicks heartbreak’s ass.
With Sabin, she shares an intense friendship, one that’s becoming more complicated than either had expected. A friendship now being put to the test because Sabin’s brutal past still haunts him. Because trauma is the gift that keeps on giving without mercy.
Now Sabin is the one left drowning and struggling to breathe, and his turmoil threatens to send all three into dark currents they cannot escape. Even after going through her own hell, saving Sabin will take much more than Blythe had anticipated. Their connection and their love could help, but getting him to reach for her hand could be Blythe’s biggest challenge ever.
Buy Links:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Jy10Pd
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1hHUtMa
Left Drowning Buy Links:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JlmMXa
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Ik8JPU
Our Review:
Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars
“Trauma - the gift that keeps on giving.”
Two years ago I read a book that literally decimated me, I even created a tag line for it, “you’ve hit 69% now cry like a bitch.” Left Drowning hit me hard and it is a book that is at the top of my all time favourite reads. You can read my review here http://www.theromancecover.com/2013/07/left-drowning-by-jessica-park.html
You can imagine my jubilation when Jessica Park announced that she was working on a secret project and only giving us a few days notice announces that Restless Waters has gone live and it is Left Drowning 2, to say I was excited was an understatement, especially knowing that this was essentially Sabin’s story.
“Because the girl I trust most in this world is taken.”
Sometimes an author really delivers on character connection and Jessica Park nailed this with Left Drowning, I had taken this bunch of misfits into my heart and soul and they have stayed there for the past two years. I was hesitant to start because I just knew that this book was going to kill me, if it was anything like Left Drowning I was going to be an emotional mess, but then knowing that this book was hot property and to avoid any spoilers, I put on my big girl panties and dived straight in, dropping my current read and I hardly ever do that.
“You draw me in, and we’re completely in sync. I’m fucking complete.”
This book is not as bad as Left Drowning you will be pleased to hear but it still is one book that packs an emotional punch and has it’s fair share of angst. Jessica Park always manages to hit me hard with her quirky characters, they are so different that you cannot forget them and diving into this book brought all those feelings and emotions flooding back. Even though Blythe is still the narrator effectively, there is no doubt that this is Sabin’s story but we are still treated to catching up with everyone in this “family.”
“I have two hands, Sabin. Grab one.”
This book was a voyage of discovery for our three main characters, Blythe, Chris and most importantly Sabin. All three are broken, all three have their fears, but most importantly they have each other and when the past comes back to haunt Sabin all three have to dig deep to get through it. I love this “family” and while what some people on the outside would see as a bunch of misfits, they are as tight as any biological family, if not more so. These characters are bonded by pain and circumstances, by love, by their pasts but most importantly their futures and the relationship that they have can only bring tears to your eyes.
“And we have us. We don’t follow rules.”
While Restless Waters was no comparison on the “tear scale” I will admit that quite a few fell while reading this book. Jessica Park nails the emotion and as I said above the character connection. When they hurt, I hurt and that is something that I love in a book. It takes talent to draw out those intense, overwhelming feelings in relation to characters and every single time Jessica Park hits me hard. Whether it be her Flat Out series, Left Drowning series or even Clear, each book brings that emotion out on so many different levels, while compensating your tears with her ever present wit.
Sabin has always been an integral character and while on the outside he portrays that charismatic, hilarious, deep, loyal, loving façade, underneath all his pretences is a man that is overcome with guilt however misguided. He is drowning in his thoughts, he is drowning in jealousy and there is only so much one person can take before the water finally pulls them under for good. Sabin feels he only has one choice and that is to get the hell out of there. He needs to find Sabin, the real Sabin and he can only do that if he is not surrounded by constant reminders of his past.
“It’s like you're in my blood...I can't get you out.”
For a tight knit family like this Sabin’s departure is not only shocking but also creates major separation anxiety with Blythe. Sabin has always been her constant, her companion, her confidante, her best friend and while she still has the love and guidance of Chris, losing Sabin is like chopping off an appendage and she doesn’t cope very well. The trouble is, with so many miles between them will Sabin be able to surface from the sea, or will he just drown anyway?
“It’s hard to float in a storm.”
Jessica Park, I seriously take my hat off to you, once again you have delivered an emotional, heartfelt story that rocked me to my core once again. A book that delivered everything, a book that was perfectly balanced, that ebbed and flowed with your emotions, while leaving that life buoy just a finger tip away. I seriously cannot recommend this series enough, it is one that I will never forget and one that I have re-read several times. As always, I am greedy and would love to hear more from them, but as I wasn’t expecting this one, I will wait patiently for the next secret project and just hope it pertains to this one. Amazing book, totally and utterly loved it.
“Of course we circled back to each other. This is where we all belong.”
